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THE "VALLEY FORGE" EORGERIES. 



As far back as tlie year 1842, there appeared, in the columns 
of a newspaper then published in Philadelphia by Reuben M. 
Whitney, called " The Evening Journal," a series of communi- 
cated articles under the signature of "Valley Forge." Their 
avowed object was defamation of the living and the dead. They 
purported to contain original letters of General "Wayne, General 
Heed, General Samuel Smith, and others. The following cor- 
respondence shows the character of these simulated documents. 
The first communication of "Valley Forge" appeared on the 14th 
of September, the last on or about the 24th of October, 1842. 
The Evening Journal ceased to exist some time during the same 
winter. Its Editor having in vain endeavored to ascertain the 
anonymous writer who had decoyed him into this scheme of in- 
famy, voluntarily surrendered the manuscripts to the gentlemen 
whose families had been defamed, and died in May, 1845, at 
Washington. The originals of the following letters are now in 
the Historical Society's Library. 

I. THE FORGED LETTERS OF GENERAL SAMUEL S:\riTH. 

1. 3Ir. E.EED TO Mr. McLane. 

Philadelphia, September 29, 1S42. 
l>EAn Sir : I hope you will not consider it an intrusion on your valu- 
able time if I ask you to render me a service in a matter affecting, per- 
sonally, my family and myself. ls\x. Sergeant, to whom I have men- 
tioned it, assures me that you will be glad to aid me. Enclosed, you 
have a very offensive publication which appeared last evening in a news- 
paper published in this city, called the Evening .Journal, and edited by 
Reuben M. Whitney. It relates mainly to my grandfather, General 

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t-io-. 




Keed, and though, as I believe, !i fabrieation, so far as respect, evideL 

and utterly false in its imputations, is told «ith so n>uch oonfidenee and 

ueh an apparent rehance on testimony as to maie an impression on, at 

le at, the casual reader. I am unable to ascertain the author. You 

7 TV'lVu ''" ^'■°" ""= '"" *^'""^'^' S™»«l S'-^ith, of Baltimore 
dated 15th February, 1832, the genuineness of which I desire to asce^: 

If General SmUh s etter be genuine, then I desire to inow to whom it 

.ua,y 1832, and refers to conversations with the unknown correspondent 
fifty yea., ago (that .s rn 1782). Gen. Smith's papers will show who 
Gers:iith'"°"'^-^'^"'"'^'°^""^^«'-«-^"-'^iatiou„f 

I understand that Gen. Smith's son is living and is inown to you. 
Hew,llnot,Iam sure, hesitate to give me the information I sol cit 
Uiore particularly ,f his father's name has been thus improperly used 

lour early attention to this will much oblige. 

Yours very truly and resp'ly. 

Do u,e the favor to return the enclosed. '*^'"'"''" "' ""^"- 

To the Hon. Louis McLane, Baltir 



:imore. 



2. Mr. McLane to Mr. Keed. 

Baltimore, September 30, 1S42 

wUl r- w' Tr '"^ ^^'- ^'^-'^^'^^'^ "ot overrated the willingness 
with which I will render you any aid in my power, in the matter referred 
to, in your letter of yesterday. General Smith, however, resides some 

clwitfr .'rT'r'^'""^"'' '^ ^" -y power to communi- 
cate with him before the day after to-morrow. 

Meantime, I remain, dear sir, 

Very respectfully and truly yours, 

nv w 13 13 T Louis McLane. 

lo W. B. Reed, P:sq., &c. &c. 

^' Mr. J. S. Smith to Mr. OIcLane. 

MoNTEBEXLO, 5th October, 1842 

Mr Dear Sm : I „ow return the letter of Mr. Heed, with the ac 
»„.„u,g extract from a newspaper. I was satisfied on 'the first per" 
& lor , , r" f '=^7f !"S'». F«Wry 16th, 1832, ascribed to my 
fatl o„ the late Gen. S. Sm.th, that it was not written by him, and fur 
the. .nvesfgafou has tended but to strengthen this in,prcs.sio„. ^ot 



f 

IWy is the style not his, but he had no relative named Dr. Craik; nor 
do I find any trace, among his papers, of the letter said to have been ad- 
dressed to him, or a copy of that purporting to be in reply. 
A'ery .sincerely yours, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 
Hon. LoDis McLase. 

4. 3Ir. :McLane to Mr. Eeed. 

PniLADELPiiiA, October 8, 1842. 

Dear Sir : I enclose you a letter from Gen. Smith in reply to the last 

letter you sent me. 

I am, very respectfully yours, 

Louis 3IcLane. 

To W. B. Reed, Esq. 

5. Mr. Smith to Mr. McLane. 

Baltimore, October 8, 1842. 
My Dear Sir : The letter of 2d October, 1832, sent to you by Mr. 
Tvccd, and alleged to be written by my late father, was like that of the 
preceding February, the production of some other person. It is most 
certainly not his ; of this I entertain not the slightest doubt. 

Very truly yours, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 
Hon. Louis McLane. 

G. Mr. Heed to Mr. Smith. 

PniLADELriiiA, October 7, 1812. 
My Dear Sir : I this morning received your note forwarded by Mr. 
McLanc, and sincerely thank you ior the pleasure its contents gave me. 
It wa.s calculated to remove from my mind the necessarily painful im- 
pression which the infamous libel in question made with reference to 
your father. I feel that an apology is due, fur supposing (even for a 
moment) that the letters attributed to C.en. Smith had been written by 
'bim, yet it seemed incredible that any one could commit so audacious an 
imposture, and there was much detail artfully introduced into the letters 
in order to give them an air of truth. Believe me, all this made but a 
transient impression, for very slight reflection satisfied me, as I wrote to 
Mr. McLane that they were of recent fabrication. Still I thought it 
due to you as well as to myself, to bring the matter directly to your view. 
I am sincerely glad I did so. It is right, too, that I should say, that 
I have, since my letter to Mr. :MeLane, ascertained on the face of these 
precious documents, misstatements as to facts and dates which could 



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not have been made by a truth-telling man. If I needed evidence of 
their being forgeries, this would have satisfied me. 

Two of these forged letters have already appeared ; what further use is 
to be made of your father's name, no one can pretend to say. I take 
for granted that if you and I submit to this, we may expect more, and 
my object in now writing to you is to confer as to the best mode of 
arresting and exposing this malignant imposture. I must pursue one 
of two courses, a prosecution of the printer, or an exposure of the real 
character of the whole affair to the public. To the former I have a 
strong professional repugnance, and the latter has its embarrassments 
which I am sure you will appreciate, so long as I am unable to p7'ove the 
letters attributed to General Smith to be forgeries. If the publisher will, 
on your demand, exhibit the letters to you, the forgery can be at once de- 
tected. If he refuses to do so, there will be an inference of guilt almost 
as conclusive. But it seems to me that, without your aid, lam neces- 
sarily thus embarrassed. 

To me and to my family, this is a matter of extreme interest and 
importance. To you, it seems to me, to be scarcely less so. Will 
you therefore permit me to suggest the propriety of an immediate de- 
mand for a sight of these letters ? If you think this course advisable, no 
time ought to be lost, as the coinage of slander is exceedingly rapid and 
the circulation by no means inconsiderable. 

I hope, my dear sir, you will appreciate the feelings under which I 
write, and believe me 

Very respectfully and truly yours, 

William B. Reed. 

To J. S. Smith, Esq , Baltimore. 

P. S. I should at once come to Baltimore and see you on this subject, 
but my engagements are such as to render absence from home, just now, 
impracticable. 

7. Mr. McLane to Mr. Beed. 

Baltimore, October 11, 1S42. 
Dear Sir : I return you the newspaper which you sent me by the 
last mail. The residence of Gen. Smith in the country, and my own 
intended departure from the city, prevents me from transmitting the 
paper to him. I saw him yesterday, and expressed my concurrence in 
the suggestion that he should ask for a sight of the letters pretended 
to have been written by the late General Smith. Indeed, I rather think, 
that should have been his course in the first instance. 

Yours very respectfully, 

Louis McLane. 
To Me Reed. 



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S. From the rniLADELi'iiiA Gazette of Oct. 12, 1842. 

" We gladly insert the following communication from our re- 
spected fellow-citizens, the ^Icssrs. Reed. "We cannot permit 
it to pass without the expression of the deep disgust which every 
honest and right-minded man must feel at the use of such means 
of a.^^pcrsion as the forgery and fabrication of documents. 

" TO THE rUBLIC. 

"There have appeared in the Evening Journal, a newspaper 
published in this city by Reuben M. Whitney, several articles 
signed 'Valley Forge,' assailing the public and private character 
of General Joseph Reed of the Revolution, and wantonly and 
malignantly designed to wound the feelings of his family. They 
contained, among others, several letters purporting to have been 
written by the late General Samuel Smith, of Baltimore, dated, 
severally, 15th February and 2d October, 1832, and one, without 
date. On perusing these papers, the undersigned had no doubt 
that the letters were forgeries^ and they submit the proof upon 
this point to the public without further comment, at the present 
time. The following letter was received this morning. 

" William B. Heed, 
" Henry Reed. 
" riiiLAUELrniA, Monday, October 13, 18-12.' 



i^Ir. Smith to Mr. Reed. 

Baltimore, 11 Octoljer, 1842. 
Beak Sir : In your letter of the 7th instant, received by me to-day, 
you sugpcst the expediency of my going to Philadelphia, to request a 
sight of the letters, published in the Evening Journal of that city, and 
nio.st falsely ascribed to my father, tlie late Gen. S. Smith. Now, if I 
entortained the slightest doubt of these letters being fabrication.'*, there 
would be evident propriety in my adopting this course. But, as no 
such doubt does exist, I will not so far honor them, as to admit, how- 
ever indirectly, their authenticity. Still, it is due to you, as the repre- 
sentative of your grandfather, that I, standing in the same relation to 
my father, should authorize you to say, that the letters in question are 



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audacious forgeries : or, if you prefer it, you are at full liberty to give 
publicity to tbis letter. 

I am, very respectfully, your ob't serv't, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 
William B. Reed, Esq., 

Philadelphia. 

9. Mr. Smith to Mr. Reed. 

Baltimoee, 14 October, 1842. 
Dear Sir : I thank you for the Gazette containing my letter, and 
hope you will continue to send me any other publication on the subject, 
that may be made. 

The next step, I presume, will be the assertion of the Editors that the 
letters in question are genuine. In that case, you should, as it seems to 
me, call on them or him, to exhibit the letters to some gentlemen for 
examination ; — for example, Hon. Louis McLane and Robert Gilmor, 
Esq., or either of them. Both these gentlemen are intimately acquainted 
with my father's style and handwriting, and their character is so high, 
as to induce any one to assent to their arbitrament. 

I am, dear sir, very respectfully your ob't serv't, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 

W. B. Reed, Esq. 

The matter then will stand thus — my assertion of the forgery, theirs 
of the authenticity, and the submission to competent judges. But the 
call for such submission must come from you, as I cannot for a moment 
admit a doubt. 

J. s. s. 

10. Mr. Reed to Mr. Smith. 

Philadelphia, October 14, 1842. 

My Dear Sir : I enclose to you another ''Valley Forge," sui-passing, 
if possible, in audacity, its predecessors. The boldness of this impos- 
ture, I confess amazes me, and what its design and source is wholly be- 
yond my comprehension. Since my last letter to you we have seen Mr. 
Isaac Wayne, the son of Gen. Wayne, who immediately pronounced the 
letters attributed to his father to be fabrications. Yet these Wayne let- 
ters, this writer says, he received, in copy, from your father. Bearing all 
this in mind, as well as the absurd story of Dr. Craik being a relative 
of yours, is not the insolence of the enclosed amazing ? On Monday we 
shall, I presume, have a new budget of threats, and lies, and forgeries. 
I shall admit no test till the author is given up. 

I have seen and conferred with Mr. Ingersoll, who seems to doubt the 
efficacy of any legal measures on your part. I do not agree with him, 



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thoujrh I entirely appreciate his doubts as to tlic expediency of such 
steps. I think it is a libel to append the signature either of the dead 
or the living to a libellous letter. Still there are considerations of expe- 
diency which are to be well weighed. My own course is yet undeter- 
mined. It will, however, be a decided one. This aflfair has created 
much unpleasant feeling, and continues to excite attention. 

Truly yours, 

WiLLTAM B. Reed. 

P. S. The above should have been mailed last night, but was acci- 
dentally delayed. I have, since, received your favor of the 14th. You 
will I think agree with me that it is best now to pause till 31onday. 
In a matter about which, having so much feeling, I somewhat distrust 
my judgment, I have placed the whole affair under the counsel of my 
friend and relative, Mr. Sergeant. 

Let me hear from you from time to time. 

11. Mr. S.mitii to Mr. Reed. 

B.\LT1M0RE, 18 October, 1842. 

Dear Sir : I most cheerfully accede to the proposition of '' Valley 
Forge," of submitting to three geutlemen the letters, which he ascribes 
to my father, and for this purpose will meet you and your brother at 
the Wa.shington Uouse, in your city, on Monday next, at five P. M. 
Respectfully, your ob't serv't, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 

Wii.i.iAM B. Keed, Esq. 

12. ]Mr. Smith to Mr. Reed. 

Baltimore, 22 October, 1842. 
Dear Sir : We have just discovered that the cars do not leave this 
on the mornings of Sunday, and owing to the infirmities of Messrs. 
Gilmor and Purviance, they can travel only during the day. They will 
therefore not be able to start until .^londay morning, which will neces- 
sarily postpone the meeting until Monday evening at six. I will proba- 
bly go to-uight with Mr. 3IcLanc, and you may sec one or the other of 
us to-morrow morning. I write k.^t anything should occur to prevent 
my leaving here. 

Respectfully vour ob't serv't, 

Jno. Spear S.mitii. 

\V. H. Rkei>, Esq., 

I'l.ila. 



• • 



13. Mr. Smith to Mr. Keed. 

Baltimore, 23 October, 1842. 
Dear Sir : It was not in my power to accompany Mr. McLane yes- 
terday evening, but we will all leave this in the morning, so as to be 
ready for the meeting in the evening. 

Eespectfully your ob't serv't, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 

W. B. Reed, Esq., 

Phila. 

14. From the Philadelphia Gazette of Oct. 25, 1842. 

" Here is the sequel of the offer of an issue upon the forgery 
of certain letters published in the Evening Journal, accepted by 
the parties to whom offered. Forged or not forged, that was the 
question. The party charged 'fled for it.' Flight is convic- 
tion : so the issue is decided. Every one can understand the 
matter ; it is too plain for comment." 

A CARD. 

The following proposition was published in the Evening Jour- 
nal of the 17th instant : — 

" The proposition which in my communication I promised to 
announce on to-day, is here submitted ; that Messrs. Wm. B. 
and Henry Reed, and John Spear Smith, accompanied by any 
three friends whom they may please to select, shall meet me in 
company with an equal number of friends, at any hour of any 
day which they may name after Friday next, at any place in the 
City of Philadelphia (the residence of either of the Messrs. Reed, 
the office or residence of the Editor of the Evening Journal, or 
my own residence excepted), that I will then and there produce 

the 07'iginal letters of General Smith to Col. , the copy, made 

by a near relative of Mr. John Spear Smith, of the correspon- 
dence between General Reed and General Wayne, and the origi- 
nal certificates of character given by General Washington and 
Colonel Smith to Sergeant Andrew Kemp. After the documents 
shall have been read, examined, and made to undergo any and all 
species of comparison which the Messrs. Reed and Mr. Smith 
shall suggest, a report upon their authenticity shall be drawn up 
and signed by the three friends of each party, and published in 
the Evenino; Journal. 



"Here is a proposition which will bring this matter to an infal- 
lible and almost immediate test. I offer to the Messrs. Reed 
every advantage — their own selection of time and place. I await 
their reply through the columns of any paper in the City of I'hi- 
ladoljihia. If not given by Friday, next, I shall consider their 
silence as a dishonorable refusal to meet me face to face, and I 
shall proceed to publish, without delay, the remaining mamiscripts 
of which I am possessed. If they signify an acceptance of my 
proposition, I shall defer the publication of any other matter 
until after the report of our ' Joint Committee' shall appear. 

" I pause for a reply. Valley Forge. 

"Oct. 17, 1842." 

This was accepted by the following note, published on Thurs- 
day, JOth, and republished in the Evening Journal of Friday, 
21st. 

" The undersigned have no hesitation in acceding to the 
proposition contained in the communication, signed ' Valley 
Forge,' in the Evening Journal, of the 17th instant, and will 
be in parlor No. o at the Washington House, Chestnut above 
Seventh Street, in the City of Philadelphia, on Monday, the 
24th instant, at G o'clock P. M., accompanied by three friends. 

"Jno. Spear Smith. 

" Baltimore, October 18. 

"William B. Reed, 
"Henry Reed. 

" riiiLADELPUiA, October lOtli, ISVl." 

In comj)linnce with this arrangement, I came to this city this 
evening, accompanied by three of my friends, conversant with 
my father's handwriting, viz. : Hon. Louis McLane, Robert 
Gilmor, and Robert Purviance, Esqs., and was met, at the place 
and hour of appointment, by AVilliam 13. Reed and Henry Reed, 
Es((s., and waited there until half-past eight o'clock, without the 
appearance of the author of "Valley Forge," or any of his 
friends. 

Jno. Spear Smith. 

Washington Houpe, Paki.or Xo. '{, 
iMonciny, October Viltli, 18r3. 

2 



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15. Mr. IIartwell's Statement — the Proprietor of the 
Washington House. 

About 6 o'clock, Mr. Howe, who is the Reporter for the Evening 
Journal, called at the bar of the Washington House, — he was in com- 
pany with Mr. ;* they came together to the bar and inquired, 

" Wlio was here?" I replied, Mr. Reed and several other gentlemen. 
I gave no further particulars at that time. He went in to supper. Mr. 

went away. On Mr. Howe's returning from the tea-table, he 

came again to the bar, and inquired, What gentlemen were in Parlor 
No. 3 ? I sent Mr. Mackenzie, my bookkeeper, up to No. 3 to inquire. 
Mr. Mackenzie returned and informed him that the two Mr. Reeds, 
G-eneral John Spear Smith, and two other gentlemen were there. He 
then remained for some few minutes, and desired me to show him to 
No. 3. I called Mr. Bartlett, the barkeeper, and directed him to show 
Mr. Howe to No. 3. They went into the entry. Mr. Bartlett asked 
him if he wished to go to No. 3. He inquired who was there. Mr. 
Bartlett replied, Mr. Reed, General Smith, and two or three other gen- 
tlemen. He then replied he would not go then — he would wait a spell. 
He then turned away and went out. 

H. J. Hart WELL. 

So far as the above is within my knowledge it is correct. 

Horace Bartlett. 
Philadelphia, Oct. 24, 1842. 

16. Mr. Smith to Mr. Reed. 

Baltimore, 27 October, 1842. 
Dear Sir: I thank you for the Evening Journal containing the 
limping retreat of your adversary, and hope you will continue to send 
me any other that may touch on the same subject. I would thank you 
also for the first forged letter, signed " Samuel Smith," as I wish to file 
away the whole, for future reference, in case of a revival of this outrage. 
You will remember that you withdrew that letter. 

The conviction of the forgery seems to give universal satisfaction here. 
Very respectfully your obedient servant, 

Jno. Spear Smith. 
W. B. Reed, Esq., 

Philadelphia. 

* This name is withheld, being that of a gentleman whose motive for inter- 
ference was probably mere curiosity 



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17. -Mil. Smith to ;Mu. JIkkd. 

Baltimore, 2 Nov. 18-42. 

Dear Sir: Your "friend" ^Vlutncy took mc by suqjrise, to-day, by 
comiiij; into my room about half-past nine. He introduced himself, and 
apologized for giving mc so inuch trouble, but that the object of his 
visit was to inquire whether I had examined my father's papers. I re- 
plied that he must allow me a small share either of discretion or common 
sense, to suppose that in so important a matter I would neglect any in- 
vestigation to authorize the public declaration I had given of the 
forgery of the letters ascribed to my father — that I had examined his 
papers, assisted by a friend, and no trace whatever could be found of 
the subject, tliat I had done all that a gentleman could do to prove my 
assertion — that it was my aftair and not yours, as he might have seen 
from my card — that my father's papers were put away with great care, 
and that every member of his family pronounced the letters, as I had 
done, to be forgeries. 

This is as near the substance of the conversation as can be, without 
giving you an exact copy which I made of it, within thirty minutes after 
he left mc. 

Had I soon his .Journal of the iJlst previously, I would have made no 

reply tt> him whatever, other than that I was done with the affair. 

Kespectfully, your obedient servant, 

J. Spear S.mitii. 
V,'. C. Heed, Esq. 

II. THE FORGED LETTERS OF GENERAL WAYNE AND GENERAL 
UK ED. 

These letters were published in the Evening Journal of Oct. 8, 
1842, and were respectively dated December 2Gtli, i27tli, and 
28th, 1783. At the very time they purported to be Avritten 
General Reed was on his voyage to Europe, having sailed in 
company with Doctor Withcrspoon on the twentieth of Decem- 
ber, 1783, in the Ship Washington, Captain llichard Dale. 

1. Tin: llEV. Samuel Miller to ]\Ir. Eeed. 

PniNCETON, Oct. Gih, ISI'2. 
y\\' Dear Sir: Your letter, postmarked the 5th though dated the 
4th, reached rac last night. This morning I have examined all the 
College records I could find ; but have ascertained the following facts 
only : — 

I>r. AVithorspoon and Conoral llecd were conuuissioncd to go to 



12 

Europe, Oct. 22d, 1783 : they went, and the former was present at the 
meeting of the Board in Sept. 1784. I find an order for 30 guineas, in 
favor of Capt. Dale, to pay Dr. W.'s passage in the Ship Washington, 
with Richard Dale's receipt subscribed, dated Dec. 13th, 1783. Also, 
two receipts for money received on account of Dr. W., dated one the 24th 
the other the 27th of Dec, which show pretty clearly that he was then 
absent. Of course, if Dale (was he not Mrs. George C. Read's father?) 
was the captain, he was here Dec. 13th, and the ship must have set sail 
on the latter day, or between that and the 24th. It seems most likely 
the passage-money was paid on, or just before the day of sailing. 

The Stated Clerk of the Board of Trustees is absent from town, which 
prevents my access to sundry boxes in the library, which may contain 
additional papers. These I will examine at the earliest possible moment. 
The minutes of the Board mention a report from Dr. W. of the mission 
of General Reed and himself, which I cannot find, yet can hardly be 
lost. This, I should think, must have stated the facts you desire. 

When I shall be able to continue the search proposed depends on the 
return of the Stated Clerk. You may rely on my attention to the 
matter. 

Be good enough to present my respects to Mrs. Reed. 
I am very truly yours, 

Samuel Miller, Jr. 

W. B. Reed, Esquire. 

2. Mr. Isaac Wayne to Mr. Henry Reed. 

Chester County, Uth October, 1842. 
Dear Sir : I have perused with infinite pain, in the Evening Journal 
of the 6th instant, the correspondence to which you yesterday directed 
my attention, purporting to have occurred in December, 1783, between 
your grandfather. General Reed, and my father. General Wayne. 

I cannot for a moment entertain a belief that General Wayne, on any 
occasion, expressed sentiments so disparaging to the patriotism and mili- 
tary fame of General Reed, as appear in the aforesaid correspondence. 
Among General Wayne's papers, in my possession, I have never disco- 
vered anything of the kind. Add to this, that, a short time previously 
to his death, I heard the General speak respectfully of the memory of 
General Reed ; hence it was that, in a memoir of General Wayne, pub- 
lished in Atkinson's Casket of 1829-30, 1 endeavored to do justice to the 
memory of General Reed. 

Very respectfully. 

Your friend, 

I. Wayne. 
Henry Reed, Esq. 



i:; 

p. S. — It is proper to add that, in regard to the matter of 83000, said 
to have been owing from General Heed to General Wayne, and paid by 
the former to the latter, after his return from Europe in 1784, of such 
a transaction between the above parties I have never seen any memo- 
randum or notice of the kind. If there had have been any occurrence 
of the kind, some evidence of the fact would have certainly appeared 
amongst (ieneral Wayne's papers or records. I have never discovered 
any .such memorandum or notice. T therefore conclude that this matter 
of S3000, like the other corre.spondoiice, is a fabrication. 



3. Mr. a. R. Perkins to Mr. TTf.nry Reed. 

riiiLADELPniA, 10 Nov. 1812. 

1)e.\r Sir : In compliance with your request that I would commit to 
paper the substance of what took place on a recent visit made by me to 
Col. Isaac Wayne, I beg leave to state that, on the occasion referred, 
he informed me that you had applied to him, a few days previously, for 
the purpose of having access to the papers of his father, General Anthony 
Wayne. Inferring from what I had seen in the public papers a few 
days before, that your object was to get information relative to a corre- 
spondence said to have taken place between General Wayne and General 
Reed, and feeling curiosity myself on the subject, I asked him (after 
referring to the fact of such a correspondence having been published) 
what he thought of it ? He replied, that he could not believe it to be 
genuine; and then added, that having, some years previously, gone over 
his father's papers, for the purpose of furnishing some for publication, 
he had become acquainted, generally, with the character of his corre- 
spondence with individuals; that in his letters to General Reed he had 
never seen the expression of any other than kind feelings ; that he (Col. 
Wayn?) had always represented the existence of such feelings, and (I 
believe I now use his own words) " nothing has occurred for many years 
to give me so much pain as now, to find it questioned." 

Upon ascertaining that the papers were still in his possession, I offered 
to assist him in going over theuj again, that he might be entirely satis- 
fied on the subject. He accepted my offer. We examined, with con- 
siderable care, the correspondence, particularly that of 17S3, but found 
nothing bearing the slightest resemblance in character to that published, 
as from a copy purporting to have been made by the late General Smith, 
of Maryland. 

In conclusion, sir, I have only to add that it will give me pleasure at 



14 

all times to represent it, as the opinion of Colonel "VYayno, that the pub- 
lication referred to is a forgery. 

I am, with great respect. 

Your ob't servant, 

Abr. R. Perkins. 
To Prof. Henry Reed. 

III. THE KEMP FORGERIES. 
1. Mr. Eeed to General John Armstrong."" 

PiiiLADELruiA, Sept. 29, 1842. 

Dear Sir : I hope that our former brief personal acquaintance has 
not escaped your recollection. Circumstances have occurred recently 
which make it necessary for me again to trouble you for testimony in 
relation to the past, and, strange as it may seem, personal or political 
hostility to me has revived slanders against my family, which it becomes 
me to repel. I enclose for your perusal one of a series of libellous pub- 
lications which have lately appeared in one of our newspapers. The 
author I have been unable to ascertain. I consider most of it, so for as 
respects evidence, to be fabricated for the occasion, and all of it I believe 
to be false. Still, it is circumstantially narrated, and ought not to pass 
xinnoticed. 

It is the intention of my brother, Mr. Henry Reed, and myself to 
have the pleasure of seeing you on this subject early on Saturday morn- 
ing, and hope you will not consider us intruders. Should anything occur 
to prevent us from coming, I will write again and explain myself more 
fully. I send the paper for your careful consideration, and without 
further comment, I feel that I am authorized to appeal to you. as a friend 
of my grandfather, and of. 

Yours very respectfully, 

W. B. Reed. 

To Genekal John Armstrong, 

Lower Red Hook, Dutchess County. 

2. General Armstrong to Mr. Reed. 

Red Hook, ;jd of October, 1842. 
Dear Sir : I send enclosed two sci'awls hastily written on the sub- 
ject of your late visit to this place. One of the two, a declaration or 
certificate, that though with the army in '78 I never heard of any such 

* The following letters, it will be observed, were written before the actual 
exposure of the " forgery." • 



15 

conduct on the part of General Kced, nor saw any symptom of suspicion 
or ill will in any part of the army towards him, which T think ought to 
balance all the camp news sent by the 8er2;eant to his mother. The 
other you will find to be extracts from Washington's letters, which are 
conclusive. 

I begin my journey Scmthward to-morrow; if I find the exercise use- 
ful 1 will continue it to Philadelphia, and not improbably to Baltimore. 
In the mean ti^ne and always believe me your friend and servant. 

John Armstrong. 



3. Statksient Enclosed. 

Finding, in a late number of the Philadelphia Evening Journal, a 
statement affecting the conduct and character of a distinguished officer 
of the army of the Revolution, General Joseph Reed, asserting that the 
said Reed had matured a project for betraying the American army to the 
enemy, which was only prevented by information given to Washington, 
■who ordered the said Reed to be arrested, and should he make any at- 
tempt at resistance to be shot. 

Of the facts thus stated the undersigned, who was then and continued 
to be an officer of the army during the period referred to, and in daily 
intercourse with officers of all grades, solemnly declares, that he never, 
through any channel, heard a whisper of facts so likely to be generally 
known, and which, according to the aforesaid statement were known to 
the whole army, in whom it is said to have produced a decided hatred of 
General Reed. Of this general hatred, our evidence will be positive 
that none such existed; but, on the contrary, that General Reed was 
among the most popular men of the army, and more than any other 
man in the confidence of AVashington. 

JouN Armstrong. 



4. Mr. Reed to 1'resident Sparks. 

Philada., Oct. 5, 1S12. 
Dear ^ir : I am compelled, though anxious to avoid troubling you, 
to call your attention to a matter that has occurred here. Look at the 
enclosed newspapers (the articles signed "Valley Forge"), and give me 
your candid opinion about them. WBo the author is, I am unable even 
to conjecture, though, in a proper season, measures will be taken to detect 
him. The motive of the assault on me is personal or political hostility 
carried to a high point of malignity. The circumstantial details given 



16 

and the show of what is called evidence, however absurd on its face, are 
calculated to make an impression. My own belief is that there never 
was such a person as Kemp, and that the letters from General Smith are 
forgeries. What do you think ? Though I prefer your unaided judg- 
ment on this matter, I will point your attention to one or two matters 
that occur to me. 

1. The story of the cipher letter and arrest at Valley Forge. The 
Commissioners arrived on 4th June ; Washington knew t)f their arrival 
on 9th, and left his camp on 18th. In these nine days, all must have 
happened. Is there any evidence known to you on this point ? We 
have Washington's very affectionate letters as late as 1780. 

2. There is no such correspondence known to us as that with Wayne 
in 1781, which is promised, 

I might go on and refer to various other points, but on reflection will 
refer the matter generally to you for consideration. Do me the favor 
to let me hear your views freely, and as soon as convenient. I shall 
make no use of them without your permission. 

It is probable I shall next week go to Washington, to examine the 
correspondence, &c., in the Department of State. I shall be glad to 
hear from you before I go. I have written to Baltimore, to have an 
examination made of General Smith's papers. The audacity of such 
an imposture is scarcely credible. 

Do not think that I am attaching too much import to this libel. It 
has given great pain, and must be noticed. 

In haste, truly yours, 

William B. Keed. 

P. S. I wrote the above some days ago, and have kept it by me 
till I should hear from Baltimore, whither I had written to ascertain 
if the " Smith" letters were genuine. I have to-day received a note 
from Jno. Spear Smith, Esq., expressing his belief that the letters are 
fabrications, as he is unable to find any trace of such a correspondence. 
Dr. Craik, he says, was no relation to his father. 

5. President Sparks to Mr. Reed. • 

Cambridge, Oct. Id, 1842. 
Dear Sir : I have received your letter of the 5tli instant. The 
papers, which were enclosed, I have read with great surprise. You ask 
my opinion of their contents. 

The letters, signed by Kemp, do not appear to me to possess the least 
value as historical testimony. Ilis rank in the army did not place him 



17 

in a situation to obtain any accurate knowledge of the events and de- 
signs to which he alludes. As to the transactions at Valley Forge, his 
statements are so erroneous on the face of them, as utterly to destroy 
their credibility. His letter, dated the 13th of June, says, " This 
sprinij, it seems, King George sent over some Commissioners, as they 
call thorn, to endeavor to make a peace with us, and it turns out that 
General Reed lias been in secret correspondence with them all the time, 
and was oflered largo amounts to play into their hands." Now the fact 
i.s, that the Cuuimis.sioiicrs had arrived in the country only nine days be- 
fore the date of this letter, which period certainly did not allow an 
opportunity for such a correspondence as is pretended. It is true that 
Governor Johnstone, one of the ('ummi.ssioners, wrote to General Reed 
soon after his arrival, as he did also to General Washington and to some 
other persons. And it is likewise true, that General Reed showed the 
letter to General Washington, and enclosed him a draft of the answer, 
upon which he asked his advice. General Washington's reply, dated 
two days after Kemp's letter, is written in a tone of friendship and con- 
fidence, lie approved the answer, but suggested a "small alteration," 
and desired an interview on the subject with General Reed before the 
letter should be sent to Governor Johnstone. The story of the arrest 
seems as gratuitous as that of the "secret correspondence," and is not 
continued by any evidence which I have seen. 

If General Roed was at the battle of Monmouth, he must have been 
there as a volunteer, for he was then a Member of Congress, and had no 
comnumd in the army; nor is his name among those of the officers con- 
vened in the council of war, which was held a short time previously to 
the battle. The idea that General Washington should have any sus- 
picious of liis " movements" is therefore improbable, if not absurd. 
What mischief could he do, if so inclined, without any command? 
Besides, in a letter which \Va.shington wrote to him four months 
afterwards, he subscribes himself "with sincere esteem and affection," 
a mode of expression which Washington certainly never used towards 
any man wlium he had suspected of treasonable designs against his 
country. And it may be added, that similar expressions frequently 
occur in his subsequent correspondence. 

I can, moreover, say with perfect sincerity and truth, that in my exa- 
mination of documents and papers relating to the Revolution, I have 
seen nothing that could give countenance to so grave a charge against 
General Reed. There is surely nothing to this effect in Washington's 
papers, or in those of other general nihcci-s which have come under my 
inspection. lie had a slight difference with the Commander-in-Chief in 



18 

1776, but tliis was of short duration, and it was after this event that 
Washington oftered him the command of the Cavalry; and he often con- 
suked him on military affairs, particularly in regard to the State of 
Pennsylvania. He was appointed a Brigadier-General by Congress, and 
was chosen a member of that body from his native State. During a 
large part of the winter at Yalley Forge he was present in camp, as one 
of a Committee from CongTess for reorganizing the army • and he after- 
wards held the office of President of Pennsylvania, and continued in 
the public service till near the end of the war. Are we now to form so 
low an opinion of the sagacity and wisdom of the leaders of that day, as 
to believe that they would sustain in such responsible stations a man 
whose patriotism they suspected, and, least of all, a man whom they 
looked upon as an enemy in disguise ? The thing is so incredible in itself, 
that it requires the strongest positive proof to clothe it with even a 
shadow of probability; for we cannot fix so dark a stain upon the memory 
of General Keed, without seriously implicating the character of the 
eminent patriots who gave him their support and confidence. 

In the public offices in London I have examined all the correspon- 
dence between the British officers in America, and the Ministers, during 
the war. I have no remembrance of seeing General Reed's name men- 
tioned in these papers on any occasion. 

I am, with great respect. 

Your most ob't ser't, 

Jared Sparks. 
W. B. Reed, Escj. 

6. Mr. Sparks to Mr. Reed. 

Oct. 10, '42. 

My Dear Sir : I have written the enclosed letter (No. 5) in such a 
manner that you can make such use of it as you think proper, except to 
print it, which I would not like to have done without my previous know- 
ledge. 

The letters are so strange that I should think them forgeries, if it 
were possible for any human being to practise such an imposition. In 
the light of testimony they really amount to nothing. Kemp's letters, 
in particular, may be confuted in detail in all points of fact. Do you 
observe that his discharge is dated five days be/ore the battle of Mon- 
mouth, so that he must have fought that battle with one leg. Smith's 
letters are strange, but they contain nothing but rumor and hearsay, 
uttered in an ill-natured spirit. From the style, I should think them 
spurious. It is not the style of an old man. The anecdotes and gossip 
cannot, of course, be confuted, but the fads are no better than Kemp's. 
On reading them again I am more and more suspicious. Washington 



19 

could never have told him such tales; and 1 cannot believe that Smith 
would forge them. 1 have no fear that you will put all these charges to 
flight, if you think the matter worth the trouble. "Who was the 
"Colonel" to whom Smith wrotey 

Truly yours, 

Jared .Spaeks. 
w n. ]iKKi>, Ksi]. 

7. Mr. Sparks to Mr. Reed. 

Cambridge, Oct. 11th, 1842. 
Mr Pear Sir : Since writing to you yesterday, niy mind has been upon 
those letters. If the case were mine, I think I should challenge them 
all as forgeries, and call on the editor of the paper to produce the origi- 
nals in sonte public place where they may be inspected. This need not 
be done in your own name, but by some of your fricnd.s. If they should 
prove to be genuine, no harm will be done. Your defence may be just as 
strong, in regsird to the facts, and you will know precisely on what ground 
you stand. It is next to impo.«sible that Smith should have written such 
letters. That such a letter as Kemp's should be written at Valley Forge 
is in the highest degree in)probable; and the story of the horse at ]Mon- 
uiouth is ridiculous; and the idea that a scj-f/tn?*^ should be sent after 
saddle and bridle equally so; and not less so, that this lame man, with 
such a leg as he speaks of, should be in the battle at all. All the letters 
look to me of a piece, and suspicious. Excuse this supplement, and 

believe me sincerely yours, 

Jared Sparks. 
W. B. Reed, Esq. 

r. S. It is improbable that Washingfoii should give such a discharge 
to an officer so low in rank. I do not remember any such. It might 
be proper enough, perhaps, for his Colonel to do it; but I doubt if it was 
ever done by the Commander-in-Chief, except possibly in some very ex- 
traordinary instance of bravery and good conduct, to which this Sergeant 
does not pretend; nor is anything of this kind mentioned in the two 
certificates. Moreover, Washington's certificate is dated more than two 
months before the Colonel's ; and of what use could the latter be, after 
so full a one from the Commander-in-Chief? I should call for the origi- 
nals, if I were resolved to pursue the matter at all. 

IV. THE FORGERIES IN 185G. 
1. Mit. Reed to 3Ir. Smith. 

Phil.\delphia, July 10, 1856. 
My Dear Sir : — You will, I am sure, be surprised to hear, that it 
has suited the busy malignity of some persons here, to revive and 



20 

Yepublisli tlie Valley Forge Forgeries of 1842. You, I am confident, 
remember them well After fourteen years, these wretched fabrications 
are dug up, and oifensively circulated ; and they are, I presume, bought 
and read exactly as if they were genuine. Time has diminished the 
witnesses of the detection of this crime. Mr. Gilmor, Mr. Purviance 
(I believe), and my brother, Mr. Henry Reed, are dead. You, Mr. 
McLane, and myself, are living. 

It may become necessary for me to recall public attention to the fact, 
that, at the time of the publication, these documents, and especially 
the letters attributed to your father, were pronounced and proved to be 
forgeries ; and I shall be much obliged to you, if you will say to me — 
and I assure you, I feel great repugnance to make the request — whether 
anything has occurred since, to change your opinion as to the infamous 
character of these papers. Your early answer will very much oblige 
me. 

Your friend and servant, 

William B. Reed. 

2. Mr, Smith to Mr. Reed. 

Baltimore, 16tli July, 1856. 
Dear Sir : — In reply to your letter, of the 10th instant, I have 
only to say, that nothing has occurred to make any change in my 
declaration, in regard to the letters ascribed to my late father. Gen. 
S. Smith, published by '' Valley Forge," some fourteen years since. 

Mj absence from town is the cause of your not having an earlier 
answer. 

Your obedient servant, 

J. Spear Smith. 
W. B. Reed, Esq. 

Philadelphia.. 

3. Mr. Reed to Mr. Sparks. 

Philadelphia, July 9, 1856. 
My Dear Sir : — Have you forgotten — and if you have, I am sorry 
to bring them to your recollection — some curious forgeries, which ap- 
peared in a Philadelphia paper as far back as 1842, under the signature 
of " Valley Forge ?" They were proved,_ at the time, to be forgeries. 
Strange as it may seem, they have recently been revived, and re- 
published, and circulated here. It becomes necessary for me to print 
the proof of their infamous character. At the time, you wrote to me 
three very kind letters, and I shall be glad to have your permission, 
without comment, to print them. You may have forgotten, and I now 



21 

enclose tliera. Be so pood as to return them to mo at once, .ind say 
whether you object to their being printed. If you have the least ob- 
jection, pray say so, frankly. 

Truly, yours, 

"William B. Reed. 
To Mb. Sp.\nK3, 

Cfiiiibriilge. 

4. 3Ir. Sparks to Mr. Reed. 

Glen House, N. H., July 11, 185G. 
Dear Sir : — Your letter, of the 9th instant, has just come to hand, 
enclosing three letters, which I wrote to you in 1842. You request 
permission to print those letters. As they expressed my deliberate 
opinion at" the time, after a thorough examination of the subject, I see 
no objection to their being printed. 

It is very extraordinary, that those spurious letters should again be 
brought before the public. I hope you will send me a copy of what- 
ever you may print in regard to them. 

Truly, yours, 

Jared Sparks. 
W.M. B. Reed, Esq. 

5. Mr. Reed to Mr. "W. D. Lewis. 

No. 241 Walnut Street, 
July 15, 1S56. 
Pear Sir : — Are you aware, that there has lately been a reprint, in 
this city, of the Yalley Forge Forgeries of 1842 ? They have been 
republished by a young man, whom I do not know by sight, and, as he 
says (so I am told), extensively circulated. On looking over my papers 
of that date, I find that it was through you that, on the detection of the 
forgeries, Whitney sent me the manuscripts which I now have. My 
recollection is, that, at the ^time, you told me, Whitney expressed a 
strong feeling as to the imposture that had been practised on him, and 
was willing to do anything to aid in discovering the forgers. Have you 
any objections to state to me yuur recollections on this subject ? 
Truly, yourS; 

William B. Reed. 
Tio Mr. Lewis. 

G. Mr. Lewis to Mr. Reed. 

No. 300 SrnrcE Street, 
July 10, 1850. 
Dear Sir : — I am in receipt of your note of yesterday, in which you 



22 

ask my recollection on the subject of the sm-render by Mr. R. M. Whitney. 
in 1842, of certain forged letters purporting to have been written by 
General Samuel Smith and General Wayne, implicating the character 
of your grandfather. I remember well the publication of the letters in 
question, in a daily newspaper of which Mr. Whitney was then editor, 
and the pains you took to prove them forgeries. I also remember, that 
Mr. Whitney, to whom they had been sent anonymously, expressed a 
full belief in their genuineness, and that his unknown correspondent 
would appear and vindicate them as such at the test to which you had 
invited him. I remember, too, that he failed to appear, although his 
presence in or near our city at the time was proven by the frivolous 
pretexts under which he attempted to excuse his non-appearance. 

This failure was deeply mortifying to Mr. Whitney, and, with other cir- 
cumstances, satisfied him that he had been imposed upon. He expressed 
much indignation on the occasion, and, as a proof of his sincerity, at 
my request gave to me the forgeries for the purpose of their being 
surrendered to you, that you might have the means always at hand of 
comparing the writing with that of suspected persons, and the chances 
be thus increased of detecting the forger, which Mr, Whitney was as 
anxious should be done as yourself. 

I delivered the letters to you in the autumn of 1842, and have always 
since supposed, that their forgery was a fact universally admitted. 
Yours, very truly, 

Wm. D. Lewis. 

Wm. B. Reed, Esq. 

The above documents being original letters, received by Mr. Reed, or 
draughts of letters written by him, are this day put into our hands, and 
by us deposited in the archives of the Historical Society of Penn- 
sylvania. 

John Jordan, 
TowNSEND Ward. 

July 22, 1856. 

Most of the foregoing documents have, as their dates show, been in my 
possession for many years. They are now printed for the first time. I 
have hesitated as to whether I am right in printing them at all, and am 
only induced to do so, by the hope that it will put an end forever to 
the persevering use of these spurious documents, which have more than 
once been revived for the purpose of mischief. 

William R. Reed. 

Philadelphia, July, 1806. 



